Macbeth Act 1 Analysis

Macbeth, by Shakespeare, is about the gain and loss of “life” as an emotional existence and as a physical being. Macbeth begins with Act one where Macbeth, who is content with his own life, is transformed by greed to be like his cunning wife. In Act three scene one, Macbeth realizes that his attempts at creating a better life are destroying the one he used to live, a life without guilt but also without power. Guilt ridden Macbeth begins to fully confront his murderous ways during Act three and punishes himself for destroying the life that he was once satisfied with to gain power. During Act 3 Macbeth shifts from appreciating his life in Act 1, to valuing death, the escape from life. Macbeth gains power to improve his life, and in the process,

the quality of his life deteriorates, until he does not enjoy his life and only waits for the escape of death.

As the play begins, Macbeth is satisfied with his life, but he commits murders to gain power, and the life he led slips away.[have some sort of because - or more of an interpertation] In Act 1 Scene 7, Macbeth weighs his options regarding the possible death of Duncan versus the inevitable consequences. The life that Macbeth leeds is important to him and his caution to action comes from his understanding that taking a man’s life is to lose his own, “Might be the be-all and the end-all here, / But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, / We'ld jump the life to come”(V.vii.5-7). Macbeth is uncertain if Duncan’s murder will aid or derail his path to power and prosperity. When Macbeth chooses to end Duncan’s life, the consequences emerge in the next act as he is mentally transformed into his wife’s character, Lady Macbeth. Macbeth begins his transformation by manipulating the nobles into believing that he is saddened by Duncan’s death by stating, “Had I but died an hour before this [when I found that Duncan was dead] chance, / I had lived a blessed time;” (II.iii.107-108). Macbeth’s manipulation for power is an example of how he is a changed man, overcome by deep greed and hunger for power. Macbeth then tells the nobles that his life would be perfect if he had only died before Duncan’s, “wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees / Is left this vault to brag of.” (II.iii.111-112). The line refers to Duncan’s death, but also to Lady Macbeth’s mental deterioration. Macbeth see’s his own future within Lady Macbeth, which foreshadows that Macbeth wishes he were dead, much like Duncan in Act three. He starts to become Lady Macbeth, with her cunning, vicious ways, while she succumbs to these traits and becomes insane.

In Act three, Macbeth, as a character truly evolves from manipulative and power hungry to a desperate man not wanting to live his torturous life.

During Act three scene one, Macbeth fully embodies Lady Macbeth, almost identicality. Macbeth exploits others, just as, Lady Macbeth had manipulated him. Here Macbeth tells the low life killers that all of their hardships are because of Macduff and Fleance. Macbeth uses the cunning tactic of bribery for a better life, that Lady Macbeth used on him to convince him to murder Duncan, and tells the murderers that Macduff has taken the chance for their well-being and used it poorly and for this he deserves die: “Who wear our health but sickly in his life, / Which in his death were perfect.” (III.i.119-120). In the ending half of Act three scene one, Macbeth talks to the murders about how terrible Macduff is and how with their help, “his death were perfect.”(III.i.120) Macbeth continues to provoke the murderers by discussing how Macduff’s existence enrages him, “Against my near'st of life: and though I could / With barefaced power sweep him from my sight”(III.i.134-135). This hatred for Macduff symbolises Macbeth’s hatred for himself. Macbeth knows that he has done wrong and reacts the only way that he knows how, by lashing out. He is aggressive towards Macduff, because he poses a threat, but he is inadvertently becoming angry at himself for the terrible deed that he has done. Macbeth murders again, punishing himself while increasing the

burden that his life already bears. Before, during the first act, Macbeth appreciated his life without the murders and guilt, but he knows that there is now no going back. Therefore, Macbeth wishes for death’s sweet release from the horrendous life he now leads.

The word life is used for character and plot development; Macbeth is content with his life during the beginning of the play, but as the context changes, so does the use of the word.

Macbeth is pulled into a world of guilt and deceit and he begins to change into a man of manipulation, much like his wife. During this time, as he is trying to gain more power and expand his life, he is doing quite the opposite; Macbeth is ruining his life. At the end of scene 3, Macbeth realises his dire mistakes, but he cannot come to terms with them, so he continues to make bad decisions to punish himself. Macbeth becomes a desperate man, who was once very content but has dug himself into his own grave. This change of heart by Macbeth directly reflects on how the word life is used throughout Macbeth. Life is first seen as something important, it is the way that Macbeth lives, as a valiant soldier with his wife. As Macbeth begins to change, the word changes with it; “life” represents something important, but for different reasons. Macbeth takes the life of Duncan, and in return receives power, but at a cost. Here life holds great weight, because it is the key to obtaining what Macbeth wants, power. “Life” continues to hold great sway over Macbeth, but this time in a negative way. Macbeth ruins his own life by taking another’s and as he realises this, his life becomes a burden. Macbeth is now a tortured individual, racked with guilt and anguish, he wishes to end his life, so that all the pain

can disperse. When Macbeth chooses a path for power that includes murder and treachery; his actions from that point on reflect this choice and the consequences that come along with it. These dire results are emphasized by Shakespeare to highlight how important choices are. Shakespeare puts great prominence on the idea that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. This emphasis on negative consequences throughout the play, especially after killing a king, is a warning for those in a position to grasp power that the outcomes are not always as fantastic as they may seem.